Utah's Enes Kanter shoots over Samuel Dalembert of the Bucks during their game on Feb. 6. Kanter had 17 points and nine rebounds in 17 minutes. The Bucks and Jazz meet again Monday.

In fact, the Bucks have struggled while posting an 8-11 record against Western Conference teams.

So the next five games pose a major challenge as Milwaukee faces five consecutive opponents from the West, beginning with a home game Monday night against Utah.

Then it's off to Los Angeles on Tuesday to open a three-game California trip, with a game Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers, followed by a back-to-back set Saturday and Sunday against Golden State and Sacramento, respectively.

The Bucks end the stretch with a March 12 home game against the Dallas Mavericks.

Utah pounded Milwaukee, 100-86, in the first meeting at EnergySolutions Arena on Feb. 6.

And the Bucks had few answers for the Jazz's big front line featuring Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors. Kanter had 17 points and nine rebounds in 17 minutes, and Jefferson contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Larry Sanders was absent for that game after injuring his lower back the previous night in Denver, but the Bucks center is back and playing well.

Coach Jim Boylan was pleased with his team's rebounding effort in the 122-114 overtime victory against Toronto on Saturday, led by 12 rebounds from Sanders and 11 from power forward Ersan Ilyasova.

But Utah's physical front line and the Clippers' frontcourt featuring Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan offer more formidable challenges.

"Teams have hurt us on the offensive boards with extra possessions," Boylan said. "Almost always those extra possessions turn into wide-open three-point shots. Those can really hurt you."

The Bucks outrebounded the Raptors, 48-42, and hung close to the Rockets while being outrebounded, 47-43, on Wednesday night.

But the Bucks scored their final eight points off offensive rebounds in Houston, including the game-winning shot by Monta Ellis to beat the buzzer.

The victories last week in Dallas and Houston should give the Bucks added confidence as they venture back into play against Western Conference teams.

And the Bucks are 3-2 against the foes on the upcoming schedule. Their most lopsided loss of the season came against the Clippers in December, a 26-point pasting at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. But they beat the Warriors and Kings at home.

"We are just trying to get as many wins as we can and get great momentum for the road trip we're about to go on," Ellis said after the team's victory over Toronto.

"There's a lot of energy in the locker room and it always feels good to win."

Milwaukee has won three in a row to pop above the .500 mark again at 29-28.

"The guys understand where we're at now," Boylan said. "Our approach has been pretty simple from the moment I took over (on Jan. 8).

"Let's just go out each night and do what we need to do to win the game. I have an eye on the big picture, but I think the players just have a view on the next game. So that's the way we're approaching it."

The big picture improved for the Bucks last week as they won three close ones following three heartbreaking losses coming out of the all-star break.

"If it's the way it's going to be, that's the way it's going to be," Boylan said of the nail-biting finishes. "I'm getting kind of comfortable with it, actually."

Now the Bucks hope to make a run at the seventh or sixth positions in the Eastern Conference race. They sit solidly in the eighth spot but could chase down Boston and/or Brooklyn, the teams directly ahead of them.

Notebook: Sanders had five blocks Saturday to extend his streak to a league-leading 39 games with at least one rejection. And a questionable goaltending call in the fourth quarter denied him another block. . . . Ilyasova scored 29 points against the Raptors, one shy of his season high and close to his career-high of 32, set March 7 last year against the Chicago Bulls.